Have you ever had that forehead slapping “Now I get it” moment?
I did, just last week.
I’ve attended Mark Henson‘s Superpower Summit twice. The first time was because I was fascinated by the title and what Mark refers to as ordinary superpowers (and, let’s face it, who doesn’t want to spend the day with Mark at sparkspace?). The second time was an alumni discount perk to confirm, clarify and refine my understanding of my ordinary superpower. The summit gave me a solid perspective on what that is and how it reveals itself in my life.
What is my superpower, you might be wondering?
Well, I am able to take complex processes, break them down into manageable and easily understood segments and help operations leaders successfully implement them.
My Aha! moment
As I wrapped up a major workflow project for one of my clients last week, I experienced the proverbial “Aha!” moment when it comes to my ordinary superpower. After two days of small group training, I received a few emails thanking me for my work.
Thanks again, El, for all of your dedication to the workflow! It’s going to be so much more organized because of this!
I can’t believe we got this done in seven weeks! We’ll be able to provide much better service with so much less risk. Thanks for leading us through the maze!
My brain doesn’t work that way but I’m sure glad yours does!
I made an instant connection between the SuperPower Summit and this most recent experience. It was crystal clear that the very thing that other people consistently and enthusiastically thank me for is my ordinary superpower.
[Forehead slapped!]
The key word in the phrase is “ordinary.” To each of us, our superpower isn’t necessarily super, it’s just part of who we are. It’s a knack, talent or skill we have, something we are pretty good at and, probably, something we enjoy doing. To me, being process-oriented is not a special talent, it’s just how I show up every day. Creating a workflow and helping emerging leaders understand it and put it into production is just something I’ve always been able to do. It’s how my brain is wired.
To others, though, it’s a very different story. What I naturally do is completely unnatural to them.
For this particular client, breaking down and documenting this complex process really seemed like a superhuman feat. They repeatedly expressed a great appreciation for it over the life of the project. It’s not a skill that presents itself in their team. They were completely overwhelmed by what was needed and by the associated risks that having a poorly defined process made them vulnerable to.
Think about this: What do people thank you for?
If you are trying to figure out what your unique gifts are, think about the feedback you’ve gotten from people you work with or work for. What do they really value in you?
What is their WOW! in your work?
You will find a direct link from that reaction to your ordinary superpower. Don’t overlook it. It might seem very ordinary to you, but it’s a super gift to the world.
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PS: Mark’s book on this topic, Ordinary Superpowers: Unleash the Full Potential of Your Most Natural Talents, publishes next week. It will guide you through discovering your Ordinary Superpowers and how best to unleash them to help others in all aspects of your life. I have not read it yet, but I can’t wait! Pre-order your copy on Amazon now!
Photo credit: Super Phone Booth by El Biddulph, taken last week in historic Roscoe Village, Coshocton, Ohio
